By Sidi Mohamed | The Peninsula

The NCT Middle East 2017 conference and exhibition began yesterday giving opportunity to international experts to discuss challenges of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The three-day event is being held at W Doha Hotel and being organised by The National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW) in collaboration with CBRNe Society (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (defence).

The conference is discussing issues like security challenges and preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2022, Nuclear Security in the Middle East: current and Future challenges and decontamination in hot climate zones.
It provides a platform to exchange views and novel approaches to counter this enduring threat.

Qatar accelerated its accession to conventions banning weapons of mass destruction. It was among the first signatories to convention on the Prohibition of the Development of Production and Stockpiling of Biological and Toxin weapons and on their destruction.

Since the NCPW was established, it has managed to accomplish many achievements and events to both local and international levels. In 2012 it witnessed the inauguration of Doha Regional Centre for the CBRN training.

Speaking at the conference, Brigadier (Air) Hassan Saleh Al-Nesf, Deputy Chairman of the Qatari National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW) stressed on the Qatar’s keenness to join international treaties related to banning prohibited weapons.

As regard to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Qatar signed it in 1993. It also obtained the membership of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

“The fear increases with every passing day about terrorist organizations access to such weapons which can threat safety and security of the whole world, especially in the conflict-hit countries in the Middle East region. It requires more efforts from international society to work on two sides”, Brigadier (Air) Hassan Saleh said.

He said that the first thing is to ban the terrorist organizations of getting such weapons and the second thing is to free the Middle East from nuclear weapons.

“We hope that this conference will be a new chance of enhancing dialogue about the best practices on facing the regional challenges related to prohibited weapons.”

The CBRNe threat has been rising in the Middle East with the continued use of chemical weapons (including chlorine, sarin, mustard gas and phosgene) in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq for the past three years.

The event hold under the auspices of the Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H E Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah.